Fortunate Coincidence
by hannahthewordsmith
Summary: "Do you know the meaning of serendipity?" He gave me a sideways glance, signaling for me to continue. "It means a fortunate coincidence." He smirked a little, and I knew that he understood. Fischer/OC pre/present/post Inception
1. Chapter 1

_C'mon Lil, go faster!_ I picked up the pace, my feet slamming against the sidewalk as I sprinted through Paris. My legs were burning and it was getting harder to breathe, but I forced the muscles to go even faster, even though the world around me was starting to blur. People were yelling in my direction as I shoved past them, but there wasn't time for apologies. _Faster, go Lil, go! Just pretend that you're back in high school and running for track and field._ But this wasn't high school, and I wasn't running for track and field.

I was running for my life.

There were heavy footsteps pounding on the sidewalk and getting closer to where I was, so I really picked up the pace, going faster than I had ever gone in high school. I glanced over my shoulder, they were only a few steps behind me, when I rammed into something, launching both of us off the ground and landing on the concrete a few feet away. "Son of a bitch," I muttered, trying to scramble to my feet as the men got closer.

"Are you okay?" a voice asked and I looked up at the man, his blue eyes filled with worry.

I was about to nod when two hands yanked me off the ground and shoved me against a wall. I glared at the man in front of me.

"Mr. Colbo will be very pleased to discover we have finally caught her," he said to his moron of a friend, who just smirked.

"You didn't catch anyone," I hissed. "And you never will." The man whom I'd run into whacked the guy holding me against the wall with a two by four, right in the side. He doubled over with pain and I put my hands on the back of his head, bringing his face down on my knee as the man hit the second guy upside the head with the wooden instrument of doom. I saw more men running down the sidewalk, and people had started gathering around us, snapping pictures.

"Come on," Blue Eyes said, taking my hand and pulling me down the sidewalk behind him. I started running and soon caught up with him. We turned a corner and he pulled me into an empty alleyway, pressing me against the wall. The suits, and several paparazzi, ran right past us, their chattering dying down as they did. "Let's go," he whispered, and pulled me out of the alleyway and in the direction which we'd come.

"Where are we going?" I asked as we tried to look as inconspicuous as possible. He even went so far as to wrap an arm around my shoulder.

"Just trust me," he whispered and I stepped away from him.

"In case it wasn't obvious, I don't tend to trust men in suits," he flinched a little, but said nothing, "So, I'm going to ask again. Where are we going?" He sighed.

"Back to my apartment, you'll be safe there." I raised my eyebrows and he rolled his eyes, beckoning with his hand. "Will you _come on_ already?"

I glared at him, but walked into his arm as it rested back on my shoulders, his other hand sliding into the pockets of his slacks and pulling out sunglasses, placing them on his face. We walked down the sidewalk and soon were walking up to an apartment building.

"Afternoon Mr. Fischer," the elderly man at the front counter greeted, and I stared at Blue Eyes in shock.

"What?" he asked once we were in the elevator.

"I thought you looked familiar," was all I mumbled in reply, looking at the elevator doors. Blue-I'm mean, _Robert's_ apartment turned out to be more like a house, with a kitchen, several bedrooms, and even a balcony or two. He sat down on the couch after removing his shoes, jacket, and glasses and patted the seat next to him. I just stood next to the door with my arms crossed. He sighed.

"Look, if this is going to work-"

"If what is going to work?" He looked surprised.

"You staying with me." I stared at him.

"Who the hell said that I'm staying with you?"

"Well you certainly are going out there alone, not with Colbo's goons after you!" I shoved a piece of blond hair behind my ear, but said nothing. "As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted, if this is going to work, then we need to be able to trust each other." I snorted a little and he took a deep breath. "I think we should _start_ with proper introductions." He advanced on me and I took an instinctive step back, making him roll his eyes a little. "I'm Robert, no real nickname." I eyed his hand as it stuck out in my direction and glanced back up at him. "It's just a hand, it won't kill you."

"You never know," I replied and he rolled his eyes again. After a moment of hesitation, I allowed my hand to reach up and take his, moving it up and down in a handshake. "Liliana, but where I'm from people call me Lily." Robert turned my hand palm down and gently kissed the top.

"It's a pleasure," he said in a "gentleman" voice and I took my turn to roll my eyes, pulling my hand out of his and strolling over to the couch, plopping down. The cushions were like quicksand, and I found myself pushing down with my hands in order to keep from sinking. Robert chuckled and sat down next to me. He grabbed my waist and I automatically started to struggle. "Calm down Lily, I'm trying to help," he said, and I calmed down enough so that he could position me on the couch in a way so that I didn't sink. "Geez," he muttered, flipping on the TV. I leaned back a little and pulled my feet up onto it, resting my chin on my knees. "Where is this place where everyone calls you Lily?" he asked curiously and I glanced at him

"Manhattan." His eyebrows shot up.

"You're a long way from home. Care to elaborate?"

"I'd rather not." He shrugged and continued scrolling through channels. When he got to TNT, I sat up a little straighter as I saw that _Supernatural_ was on, and then slouched as he flipped past it. He glanced at me before smirking and flipping back to TNT. About halfway through I found myself leaning against him, my head on his shoulder.

"If you're being chased here, why don't you just go back home?" he asked quietly.

"Because I can't," I responded even more quietly.

"Why not?" I didn't answer, and he didn't push. When the show was over, I yawned and sat up, stretching.

"What time is it?"

"Almost midnight." I groaned and stood, stretching while I yawned again. He stood as well and beckoned with his hand. "You can sleep in there," he said, pointing to a room down the hall. "I'm going to go get you a night shirt." I walked into the bedroom and sighed as I sat down on the bed, falling backwards and closing my eyes. Something soft hit my face and I sat back up, the shirt falling into my lap. I held it up and could already tell that it would be like a dress on me. Robert had disappeared from the doorway, so I peeled off my shirt and jeans, pulling the shirt over my head. Just as I had predicted, it went all the way to my mid-thigh. I pulled my hair out from under it and let it land over my shoulder, walking towards the bed.

"That's a nice tattoo." I yelped and whipped around, facing a smirking Robert. "On your lower back, the butterfly. It's nice." I narrowed my eyes at him, and he just smiled. "You really should close the door when you change. You're lucky you didn't turn around earlier."

"What else did you see?" I asked suspiciously and he shrugged.

"Nothing really, just the small ink wings where your shoulder blades are. You really like things that fly, don't you?" I rolled my eyes and pulled my hair back over my shoulder, running my fingers through it.

"I like the idea of flying. The freedom that comes with it." He nodded a little, like he really was listening. I sighed, and spoke as I crossed the room. "Look, I just really wanna go to-Whoa!" I stumbled over my shoe and fell forward, right into Robert's arms.

"Well, would you look at that," he murmured, "not even a day and you're already falling for me." He pushed some hair off my shoulder and gently touched my neck with his pointer finger. "There's another one, a winged music note." I righted myself and placed a hand on the door.

"Goodnight Robert."

He seemed to have gotten a hold of himself, nodding stiffly with a tight lipped smile. "Goodnight Lily." I closed the door when he turned and walked away and ambled over to the bed, climbing under the covers. I touched the spot on my neck where the tattoo was, and fell asleep with the touch of his finger still lingering on it.


	2. Chapter 2

My eyes slowly slid open and I took a deep breath, prepared to yawn, when I heard a rustle. I turned my head and almost screamed, for there was a giant, no-way-that's-real dog sitting next to the bed, its tail thumping against the floor. Its fur was black as coal and pretty shaggy, but it had kind brown eyes. I eyed it suspiciously, thinking I must be going crazy, when it barked and I jumped a little from how loud it was. Robert was suddenly in the doorway, dressed in pajama pants and a Harvard t-shirt, looking disheveled. The dog barked again, this time in his direction, and made a beeline for him. Robert smirked and dropped to his knees, hugging the monster-dog around the neck. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, stretching.

"Good morning," he greeted with a small smile. I nodded my reply and turned so that my legs were hanging over the bed. Monster-Dog was over in a flash, its head placed firmly on my lap. I smiled and Robert whistled, the dog following him. "His name is Scruff, in case you were wondering," he told me, walking out. I stood up and hurried after him into his room.

"I need to get my clothes," I informed him, stepping past the threshold. He turned and I averted my eyes, since he was shirtless and all.

"Where are they?"

"This motel not far from here." He nodded and began pulling on a nice shirt. "I wouldn't wear a suit, if I were you," I added, and he shrugged away my warning. "Whatever." He tossed me one of his button-up shirts and a pair of jeans.

"The jeans are my sister's, they should fit." I pulled them on and turned away from him as I pulled off the night shirt. He'd already seen everything back there, anyway. I fiddled with the buttons a little, making it to the middle before almost growling from frustration.

Another set of fingers shooed mine away and began on the buttons, and I muttered, "This is why I wear t-shirts." Robert chuckled a little as he finished on the last button. The shirt was just as long as the night shirt, going down to my mid-thigh.

"If you've had to live with them your whole life, then it becomes like a habit," he replied, and I rolled my eyes, pushing up the sleeves.

"Let's get outta here. Are you sure about wearing that suit?" He nodded. "Alright."

**xxxxOxxxx**

"You're staying here?" he asked as we pulled up to the dingy motel. I had been able to convince him not to take the limo, so we ended up driving in the Mercedes (because that's _so _low key).

"It's low key and cheap. Plus, my friend has a hook-up so that the desk guy won't tell anyone I'm here." I glanced at him and laughed. "I told you not to wear the suit." He rolled his eyes and I smiled, opening the car door and bounding up to the motel, greeting the desk man and starting up the stairs.

"What about the elevator?" Robert asked curiously.

"If you want the floor to cave out from under us, then sure, go ahead." He mumbled what I assumed to be a profanity and followed me up the stairs. We walked up two sets before finally arriving at the third floor.

I walked quickly towards my room, but he must have been looking through the peephole because the door flew open and I was greeted with, "Lily!"

"Dammit," I muttered under my breath, then turned and faced Eames, the friend who recommended the motel. It wasn't that I didn't like him or anything; it's just that he's nosy at times and _so damn good_ at reading people; it's difficult for me to lie to him. Throw in the fact that I've known him for three years, the perfect amount of time for him to know everything I do when I lie, and that "difficult" changes to "pretty much impossible."

"Where have you been, darling? I've been worried sick!" He pulled me into his arms and squeezed tightly, making me laugh and hug him back.

"Oh please sweet cakes, you know you don't have to worry about little ole' me! I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself." He pulled back to make sure that I could see his eye roll.

"I do have to worry about you. You're like family to me." He looked behind me and eyed Robert suspiciously. "Who's the suit?" I glanced behind me and smiled.

"That's Robert; I'm staying with him till I get rid of Colbo's moronic goons." Eames' eyebrows shot all the way up to his hairline and he gave me _that_ look.

"Lily," he said in that slow, trying-to-keep-calm tone I knew all too well. "Why are Colbo's moronic goons after you?"

I smiled sheepishly and laughed nervously. "Um…well…" He pointed at his door.

"You. Me. Talk. _Now._" I blew a piece of hair out of my line of sight and made a face as Eames started towards the door. I looked over my shoulder and gestured at Robert to follow, which he did without comment. _This should be interesting._

**xxxxOxxxx**

"You can't be serious!"

"I'm dead serious." Eames licked his lips, something he did when nervous, and ran a shaky hand through his hair.

"Lily, do you have any idea how s_tupid_ you are sometimes?" I sighed and nodded. "If he catches you, he's going to kill you!"

"Shhh!" I hissed, motioning downward with my hands and glancing nervously out of Eames' room, where Robert was watching us from the counter. He looked concerned. "I don't want Robert to hear."

"And there's another thing! You're staying with _Robert Fischer_? Are you _kidding me_?"

"He wouldn't take no for an answer, Eames! What else was I supposed to do?" He gave me a look.

"Lily, you know that you are always welcome to stay with me and Arthur." I smiled softly and cupped his cheek with my hand.

"I'm well aware, sweetie, but you and I both know that your room is the first place they would look." He frowned a little, but nodded in agreement as I dropped my hand.

"So, what are we going to do?" I gave him a look of my own.

"Eames, this is my problem-"

"Don't give me that bullshit, Lil." He took my hands again. "You are practically my sister. And I _always_ look out for my family. We're in this together."

"What about Arthur?"

"I'm just as involved in this as Eames." I turned and smiled widely as I spotted Arthur, Eames' boyfriend, leaning against the doorway of my room. I stood and ran over to him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He laughed and returned the embrace. "I missed you too!" Eames was right behind me, and as soon as I pulled back he pulled his lover into a passionate kiss, making me smile. I glanced behind the two at Robert, who was twirling a pencil around his fingers.

"How was New York?" Eames asked as he pulled out of their kiss.

"Amazing, I wish you had come with me." Eames smiled softly and I took that as a cue to slip past them and out of the room, strolling over to Robert.

"Howdy," I greeted with a smile, and he chuckled before frowning. "What's wrong?"

"Is everything okay Lily? And don't lie to me."

"Everything is fine," I responded after a moment of silence, plucking a chip from the bag next to us and popping it into my mouth. "Don't worry, Eames and I were just talking." Robert nodded, but didn't look all that convinced.

"Whatever you say." I rolled my eyes and walked back over to Eames and Arthur, kissing their cheeks and ruffling Arthur's gelled back hair, making him glare at me. I just laughed and walked back towards the door, grabbing Robert's hand and pulling him along behind me as I bid farewell to my two best friends and exited the motel room, walking next door to my own and stepping past the threshold. It was starting to smell like vanilla. "It smells nice in here," Robert murmured, making me laugh.

"Thanks." I released his hand and started in the direction of my bedroom. My suitcase was sitting next to my bookcase, and I heaved it up onto the bed, immediately starting to put clothes in it. I grabbed whatever I could and shoved it into the duffel bag, which included clothes, books, and my camera.

"You take pictures?" I glanced over my shoulder and nodded as I saw Robert examining the pictures in my scrapbook. There were ones of all the places I had been, which were many.

"It's more of a hobby than anything else." He nodded and placed the scrapbook in my outstretched hand, and I was able to just barely squeeze it between _The Shining_ and_ How to Kill a Mockingbird_. I zipped up the duffel and threw it over my shoulder.

"They're good." I smiled and turned, about to say thanks, when I saw the buff, suited man standing behind Robert with a pocket knife.

"Robert look out!"


	3. Chapter 3

"Ouch! That hurts you know!"

"Well, if you'd quit moving then I might be able to patch you up!" Robert frowned and pouted slightly, but remained silent as I dabbed his knife wound with a cotton ball and wrapped a bandage around it. His wounds weren't deep enough to need stitches, but definitely deep enough to where they would need a bandage. That was probably one of the roughest fights I'd been in so far, and I had been in my share of fights.

"_Robert, look out!" He turned just in time to have Pocket Knife Guy slash his upper arm. I dropped my duffel and ran to my bedside table, but before I could get there I was grabbed around the waist by a second guy, this one holding a baseball bat._

"_Oh no you don't, sweet cheeks," he hissed in my ear and threw me onto the ground, my forehead banging the knob on one of the drawers. Blood trickled down my forehead and nose, but I stood anyway, getting into fighting stance._

"_If you want me," I said. "Come and get me." He lunged and I side-stepped him, watching him run into the wall. I brought my foot down on his ankle, both of them actually, and made sure he was immobile before hurrying to help Robert, who was getting cut up real bad. But a third guy (how all these guys fit into my tiny motel room, I'll never know) shoved me across the room and back to my bedside table, where I opened the drawers and quickly shuffled through them. "Where is it?" I whispered urgently. "Where is it?" I finally looked up and saw the black metal peeking out from under my pillow. I scrambled up onto the bed and dove for it, but the third guy knocked it away from me and it fell off the bed onto the floor. He then grabbed my ankles and started dragging me towards him. I screamed a little, kicking blindly until I must have kicked his jaw or something. He released me and I practically flew across the bed, rolling onto the floor and grabbing my gun. I cocked and aimed, pulling my finger back on the trigger. It had been forever since I shot a gun, and in the small space of my room the sound was practically deafening. But I got the guy, and he collapsed on my bed with a hole right in between his eyes and spatters of blood all over my face. I then turned it on Pocket Knife Guy, who was holding Robert with the knife to his neck. A large bruise was forming on his lower left jaw and he had a cut above his eyebrow, blood dripping down his arm from where one of his sleeves had been torn off and he'd been cut._

"_Put your gun down, or I'll kill him and then you," Pocket Knife Guy threatened. I saw it in Robert's eyes, he didn't want me to. But I set the gun on the floor anyway. Pocket Knife Guy raised his arm, the tip of the knife pointed directly at Robert's chest, and just as I reached for my pistol there was another shot. The knife dropped from the man's hand and he collapsed, bringing Robert down with him. I crawled over to the pile and shoved Pocket Knife Guy off of Robert. Arthur was standing in the doorway, lowering his Glock with Eames standing behind him, looking like a mother whose daughter had finally come home at three in the morning._

"_Are you okay?" I asked Robert and he nodded. I looked up at Eames and he was at my side before I could even stand, pressing a ripped piece of cloth against my head. "Thank you," I whispered, hugging him tightly._

"_Anything for my little sister," he replied, resting his cheek on top of my head. Arthur had stayed behind to explain to the cops what had happened, and Eames drove the two of us home after putting Baseball Bat Guy out of his misery. My pistol was tucked firmly into the back of my jeans. Who knows when I'll need that again?_

"Am I all good?" I nodded and put away the stuff that was in his first aid kit. "Your turn."

I groaned as he hopped off the counter and turned me around and picked me up, setting me on the counter. "No Robert! I don't need it!"

"Like hell you don't need it!" he scoffed, and he watered a paper towel before wiping at the injury on my head. I crossed my arms stubbornly and sighed as he set down the paper towel after wiping off the rest of my face and began to place a bandage over the wound. My cell phone started ringing and I started to jump off the counter, but Robert held up a hand, reaching with his other one to grab my cell phone and answer it himself, making me frown. "Hello?" he answered politely. He then set the phone on the counter and turned on speaker. "You're on speaker."

"Hey," Arthur greeted as Robert went back to fixing my head. "I told the police that you hadn't been home when everything happened, and Eames and I rushed over when we got home and saw that the door was kicked in. I gave them your number, in case they want to question you anyway. I sprayed ammonia on the place where Robert had bled so that he wouldn't get in trouble."

"Thanks Arty," I said, and could practically see his eye roll. Robert smirked (I don't think he ever actually smiles) and wet a paper towel, wiping off my face.

"Don't mention it," he replied, and I heard a smack. "I have to go, Eames won't stop grabbing my-"

"Bye Arthur!" I quickly interjected, shutting my phone and sliding it into my pocket with a small laugh. Robert smirked and shook his head, finishing with the wound and my face and stuffing everything back into the first aid kit.

"How long have they been together?" he asked as I took the kit from him and reached up to put it on top of the fridge.

"Um, four years last time I asked. I'm sure they've been together longer, but they won't tell if they have." I shrugged a little and turned, smiling at him. "They already act like a married couple. I swear, when those two argue it doesn't end until someone gets humiliated. Then they have makeup sex like…three hours later." His eyebrows rose and I blushed. "Too much information?"

"Just a little bit." I laughed and shrugged.

"You asked." He rolled his eyes and I walked past him, making a beeline for my duffel. I pulled out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. "I'll be right back," I sang over my shoulder, practically skipping to my room. _My room. God, I'm already talking like I live here._ I stripped off his sister's jeans and pulled off the shirt. I threw the shirt down to the ground, and as it flew in front of my face I noticed that it smelled of that expensive cologne that always smells better than the other kinds. I smiled a little and pulled on the shorts and t-shirt, pulling my hair into a messy bun. I blew a curl out of my face and walked back out into the living room. Robert was lounging on the couch with no jacket, a loose tie, and the sleeves of his shirt pushed up to his elbow.

"I think this is the most casual I've seen you so far," I teased, plopping down next to him. He smiled.

"What about this morning?" I waved a dismissive hand.

"Those were pajamas. Don't count." Scruff, as if just now realizing we were home, came bounding out of Robert's room and practically flew onto the couch, lying across both our laps. I smiled and scratched him behind the ear. "So, what do you want to do now?" He shrugged as Scruff adjusted himself a little.

"I don't know. What do you want to do?" I thought for a moment.

"The park?" He gave me an apprehensive look and I rolled my eyes. "Rob, I'm pretty sure we spooked them away for now. Don't be such a wuss."

He hesitated, but ended up nodding. "Alright fine. And don't call me Rob. It's weird." I smiled and climbed off the couch, startling Scruff as I ran to my bag and pull out my camera, running back in to find Robert looking all formal. I shook my head and sighed.

"I need to teach you about a little something called casual," I said and he rolled his eyes. "C'mon, let's go." He stood stiffly, wincing, and I frowned. "You're still in pain," I concluded flatly, then started pulling off my shoes. "We can go some other-"

"No," he said firmly, and I looked up in surprise.

"Robert, if you're in pain-"

"I feel fine. Besides, Scruff needs the fresh air." The massive dog barked as his name was spoken, and I smiled at him a little before looking back to Robert hesitantly. "Lily, I promise. I. Feel. Fine." I bit the inside of my lip a little before sighing and pulling on my shoe, making Robert smile a little and walk to retrieve the leash. I sighed and dropped to my knees as Scruff trotted over. Smiling, I ran my hand down the back of his neck over and over, thinking about what had happened. I had practically catapulted into one of the richest men in the world, almost got aforementioned man killed, and he's still letting me stay with him.

He's _obviously_ crazy.

"Let's go." I looked up and smiled as Robert approached, taking the leash from him and clipping it onto Scruff's collar. I gripped the handle tightly in my hand and glanced at Robert nervously.

"Does he like to start running all of a sudden? Because I don't feel like being dragged." Robert smiled and shook his head.

"He shouldn't, don't worry." I nodded a little, unconvinced, and let him open the door, allowing Scruff to lead me out of the apartment and down the stairwell, where we walked into the lobby.

"See you in a bit Mr. Fischer," the man behind the desk called, and Robert waved a little as we walked out of the doors.

"Lead the way," I said, gesturing forward with my hand. He rolled his eyes and began walking. Scruff pulled me forward and I followed, falling into step next to Robert. "So what are you doing in Paris?" I asked, my camera bumping against my stomach.

"I, uh, I was visiting a couple friends. I was going to leave yesterday, but then you ran into me and I'm not just going to leave you." He stuck his hands in his pockets and glanced over at me as I nodded. "What about you?"

"Well, I _was_ visiting Eames and Arthur, but I ended up getting mixed up in Colbo's business, so I'm stuck here. I can't leave, because they'll follow me." I shrugged a little. "Guess you just can't win with them." Robert shrugged.

"You can if you try." I smiled a little and nodded in agreement. "We're here." I looked over to the park and smiled again. It had a grassy meadow on one side, and a playground on the other. I handed Robert Scruff's leash and practically gravitated towards the swings, where I plopped down and started swinging gently. He soon stood next to me, leaning against the pole, Scruff tugging against his leash in the direction of a few other dogs. Robert reached down and unclipped Scruff's leash, the giant dog bounding towards the group of dogs that welcomed him eagerly.

"Aren't you scared that he'll go on a murderous rampage or eat a Doberman?" Robert laughed and shook his head, sitting next to me.

"He's a big teddy bear, won't even hurt a fly. I bought him as a guard dog, fat lot of good that did."

I giggled and inconspicuously switched on my camera, slowly raising it and sweeping it over the park before resting it on Robert. "Smile, pretty boy!" He laughed and held his hand out to block the lens, and I frowned. "C'mon, just one?" He looked at me sideways before sighing and lowering his hand, looking over at the camera and smiling a little. I took the picture and smiled, glancing at it on the screen. "Perfect! That's going online." He looked at me with horror and I laughed. "Kidding, geez get a sense of humor." He rolled his eyes and shook his head, starting to swing gently. I glanced over at him and opened my mouth to speak, but was interrupted.

"Mr. Fischer!" We both turned and there was a flash as a cameraman snapped our picture. Then, like a tsunami, a wave of photographers appeared and began snapping photos, all calling out for his name. Robert and I bolted up from the swings and Robert whistled for Scruff, who came bounding over with a booming bark, startling most of the paparazzi.

"C'mon, let's get out of here," he said in my ear, taking hold of Scruff's leash and wrapping an arm around my waist. With the giant dog (bless his soul) parting the crowd like it was the Red Sea, Robert and I made out escape, but not without being momentarily blinded. "Good boy!" he said, patting Scruff's head. The dog barked and I grinned, shaking my head at Robert.

Yup, he's crazy.

**Just so you know, reviews make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, but flames will be ignored and used for roasting marshmallows.**


	4. Chapter 4

I sighed and collapsed on the couch, letting myself sink into the cushions as I placed my arm over my eyes.

"Hey, you wanna help paint a warehouse?" I removed my arm and stared at Robert incredulously. His cell phone was in one hand and his eyebrows were raised. "What?"

"We were almost killed by Colbo _and_ hounded by paparazzi in the same day, and you want to go _paint a warehouse_?"

"Yeah."

"…Okay, sounds like fun!" I held out my hands and he looked at me in surprise.

"Really?"

I nodded and he smirked, grabbing my hands and pulling me onto my feet. "Totally. I mean, we've already laughed in the face of Death. What other kinds of shenanigans can we get into?" He nodded and wiggled his phone at me.

"Exactly! Now go get dressed in something that you won't mind getting paint on." I saluted him lazily and walked to my room, throwing on paint splattered shorts and an old band t-shirt that I never even wear anymore, throwing my hair into a ponytail (with my painting bandanna) and putting on an old pair of sneakers. I hurried into the living room to find Robert in a pair of jeans and an old-looking, dark blue t-shirt.

"Now that's what I'm talking about! Casual!" I patted his shoulder and he chuckled, shaking his head.

"Let's just go." I grinned and blew a kiss at Scruff, who just cocked his head to the side, before following Robert out of the apartment. "Oh, and the man at the front desk's name is Tony. He likes it when you say hello and goodbye. Nice old man, a little eccentric though."

"I like him already." He shot me a sideways glance.

"Figured you would." We approached the front desk, since we need to walk past that to get to the doors, and I threw a smile at Tony.

"See you in a bit Tony," I said, and a toothy grin spread across his wrinkled face and he tipped his hat.

"See you in a bit Ms. Lily." Once we were out of the building I gave Robert a look.

"How does he know my name?" Robert shrugged.

"Nobody knows. The little boy next door, Timmy, thinks that he's psychic. The kid worships the ground Tony walks on." I giggled and sat down in the passenger's seat of the car.

"I like him, he reminds me of my Gramps." Robert smirked a little and started the car. "So why are we painting a warehouse?"

"Eames called me, _someone_ gave him my phone number," I blushed and averted my eyes, "anyway, he called me and said that he and Arthur are going to paint a warehouse, and he wanted to know if we could help. I said sure, why not?"

"I love how you check with me on these things," I said and the corners of his mouth quirked slightly, but the "smile" was gone as quickly as it appeared.

"You're not my wife," he said, giving me a look. I laughed through my nose and shook my head as we turned left.

"Thank God for that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, suddenly defensive. I gave him a worried look.

"It was a joke, Robert. Chill." We pulled up to the warehouse and I suppressed a groan. So, they _were_ doing another job! Those lying bastards are always telling me they retired, they're done with extraction, blah, blah, blah. I knew they did jobs behind my back, even though I was one of the best _Dolors_ around (retired several months ago). Unfortunately, the number of _Dolors_ are slowly dwindling, since most are idiots and get caught by the police. I exited the car, pissed off, and stalked up to the doors, ignoring Robert's calls and pounding furiously on them. Eames opened the door and his eyes widened at the sight of me.

"Oh fuck," he muttered and I crossed my arms, nodding with a smug grin on my face.

"Oh fuck is right, Mr. Eames." I pushed him into the warehouse and smiled venomously at Arthur, who dropped his paintbrush.

"Dammit Eames!" He practically shouted. "Why'd you invite _her_?"

"Well it's nice to see you too," I replied sarcastically, dropping down into a lawn chair. Eames' jaw dropped.

"I didn't, I only invited Robert!" Arthur groaned and hung his head.

"So you guys were just going to do this one without me?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

"You retired, remember?" I shot Eames a look that made me think of the term "if looks could kill" and I could've sworn he flinched.

"Yeah, because I didn't want to work with anyone but you two and Dom!" I shot back, standing up from the chair. "You told me you were retired, so I retired as well!"

"Retired from what?" The three of us jumped a little and looked at Robert. I had completely forgotten he was there.

"Nothing, Robert. It's just something between the three of us." I glared at the other two men, but smiled warmly at the heir. "C'mon, let's get to painting!" I shoved rather roughly past Eames on my way to the table, and swiped a paintbrush from the table, dipping it in paint and starting on one wall that was covered in graffiti. I tensed a little as Arthur approached to help. We worked in silence while Robert and Eames argued about the difference between beige and cream (I personally didn't think there was one). "How long?" I asked quietly, and he gave me a puzzled look. "How long have you been working jobs behind my back?" He sighed and ran a hand through his gelled-back hair, messing it up a little.

"This is the second one since we told you we retired." I nodded and got back to painting. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Arthur look at me for a few moments more before going back to what he was doing.

"Who's the target?"

"Saito." I nodded a little, knowing that Saito has a reputation for being ruthless. "We didn't tell you because we wanted you to be happy, we wanted you to live a normal life." He turned to face me and I did the same. "We didn't want what happened all those months ago to happen again." I pursed my lips and gave him a warning look. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But you know what I mean, right?" I nodded and, in a very uncharacteristic move, Arthur pulled me into a hug. I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Hey, was this an expensive suit?" He shook his head.

"Wh-HOLY SHIT!" I laughed and pulled the paint brush farther down his fancy shirt, stopping where his pants began. He jumped away from me and began turning in circles to see the stripe. Eames and Robert ran over, and Eames' jaw dropped.

"Did you just _stripe_ my boyfriend?" he asked in a deadly voice, and I smiled sweetly.

"Why yes, yes I did." His eyes narrowed and he took his own paintbrush. With one simple flick of a wrist, I was splattered with beige/cream paint. I gasped and looked down at myself, glaring at Robert, who was busting a gut laughing. "You think this is funny?" I asked in a scary-calm voice. I smirked and reached out, giving his cheek a gray stripe. "Still think that it's funny?" His blue eyes narrowed and he raised his own paintbrush. I ducked and heard a loud curse in a British voice. I looked at Eames and found him also splattered in paint. I laughed and clicked my tongue, shaking my head. "Isn't karma just a bitch?"

That simple question started an all-out paint war, and Robert and I ended up covered in paint when we arrived back at the apartment. Eames and Arthur had left in a similar, if not worse, state, yelling about why Eames had invited me ("I only meant to invite Robert! You point men are so touchy!" had earned him a punch in the arm).

We showered one at a time, and I sighed as I walked out of the bathroom and towards my room. I heard a squeak, and suddenly I was cursing and sitting on my butt. Robert appeared in the hall and bit his lip a little to keep from grinning.

"I hate you," I muttered, letting him help me up. He gripped my arms to steady me, smiling a little.

"I think this apartment hates you. You tend to fall a lot in it." I rolled my eyes and in that instant realized how close we were. Too close for comfort, that's how close. And yet, I found myself rising slowly onto my toes, towards his eyes and his lips…

Then, just like that, he was gone. Pulling back and releasing my arms. "What do you want for dinner?" he asked, clearing his throat a little. I shrugged and he nodded, disappearing around the corner. I let the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding leave my body, and I fell back against the wall, placing a hand on my forehead.

"Just fucking perfect, Lily. Great job."


	5. Chapter 5

**This story is developing a mind of its own, I think, because I definitely wasn't expecting to write that bit in the last chapter. I need to get my muse under control, she's starting to go crazy.**

The next morning was…awkward, to say the least. I had walked into the kitchen, feeling exhausted from the day before, to find Robert dressed in a suit, which was odd because it was way too early, he should still be in his pjs. Then again, I really didn't know him all too well.

"Morning," I said uncertainly, and he jumped a little, like he'd forgotten I was staying here.

"Good morning," he said politely, and I suppressed a groan. _Awesome, my stupid self had to go and ruin everything. Good job, me._

"Those are weird pajamas," I mumbled, searching through the cabinets for some cereal.

"It's the cabinet next to the stove," he said and I smiled and nodded, pulling out a box of Cocoa Puffs. "And I'm going to Sydney for about two weeks, to visit someone." I looked up at him through my lashes and nodded a little, feeling a pang in my stomach. He has a girlfriend? _Don't be stupid, Lil. Of course he has a girlfriend_, a voice sounding suspiciously similar to Arthur's whispered in my head.

"Does the mysterious Robert Fischer actually have a girlfriend?" I asked casually, popping a chocolate puff into my mouth and opening the fridge. The ghost of a smile appeared on his face.

"No, it's nothing like that." The look that passed over his face told me that I should drop the subject, and I finished making my cereal without another comment. Even Scruff wasn't in his usual bouncy mood, telling me that this definitely wasn't a subject to be lightly discussed.

"Oh okay, well have fun. Try not to get attacked by a koala or get kicked in the nuts by a kangaroo." He chuckled and I looked up in surprise. "No seriously. It happened to Eames, he didn't pee right for months. Finally I had to take him to a doctor and-" I bit my lip and stared at my cereal. "Sorry." Another barely-there smile.

"Well, I'll try my best not to get kicked in the testicles by any kangaroo."

"Good, because I don't feel like another trip to the doctor for that.

He smiled a little and looked at his shoes for a moment.

Then, his face suddenly grew serious and he sat down next to me.

"Listen Lily, about last night…" He trailed, and I felt my heartbeat accelerate. "I just want to apologize. The way I acted was completely inappropriate." That's when I felt it, a little tear in the corner of my heart. Small enough to not cause any emotional damage, but big enough to know it without a doubt that it was there.

"Oh, well you don't have to apologize. It was my fault for…slipping," I mumbled the last word as my cheeks grew warm. We locked eyes and held the gaze for what seemed like hours before he cleared his throat and nodded, standing.

"Well, I don't want to miss my flight." I nodded a little and he slipped on his coat, grabbing his suitcase and smiling a little at me. "I'll see you in two weeks." I nodded a little and forced a smile.

"Don't hurt yourself…or anything." He gave me a nod and walked out the door, closing it behind him. As soon as it shut, I pushed away the cereal and let my head fall on the table with a thud. "Stupid, stupid line, Lil. 'Don't hurt yourself or anything?' What the hell kind of advice is that?" I asked myself, padding over to the couch and plopping down on the couch, once again letting myself sink down into the cushions. I heard a whine and looked over at Scruff, who was staring at me with the saddest face I had ever seen on a dog. It was like seeing a biker cry. I pouted a little and patted the couch, grunting a little as the massive dog climbed right on top of me. "Hey buddy," I muttered, scratching him behind the ear. "We'll be getting to know each other very well in the next two weeks."

He barked a little, as if to say, "You bet," and I smiled, hugging him around the neck.

"Oh Scruff, you seem to be the only man in my life that isn't sending me mixed signals or lying to me." He whined a little and rested his head on my chest.

These are going to be a looong two weeks.

**This is mostly just a filler chapter, which explains the shortness. I just want everyone to know that I have very high hopes for this story; I've already got 2/3 of the plot in my head. Remember, reviews make me happy! So does constructive criticism! Flames are now being used to burn my old Barbie dolls.**


	6. Chapter 6

One week. I've only been in Sydney one week and I already want to go home. So far all that's happened is I've been berated by Uncle Peter and my father's been sick. Nothing exciting, except the phone calls from Lily.

I'm pretty sure the latter is the only thing keeping me sane.

Something about talking to her after a long day calms me down. She, with the occasional bark from Scruff, always knows just what to say to cheer me up. She gives me perfect advice, always listens intently without interrupting, and overall is just a good way to vent. All day I'm hassled by Uncle Peter and all these photographers and something always needing signing or approval, it's nice to have something to come back to my hotel room. Somehow we had both been able to get passed what had happened the night before I left, although everything was still fresh in my mind. The way her stormy gray eyes had looked straight into mine as she so fearlessly leaned in to kiss me.

And, being the idiot I am, I pushed her away.

"You sound extra stressed today," she said one night as we both sat in bed. We had to time the calls just right, since Paris is exactly eight hours behind Sydney. Thankfully, she had been able to get to the phone at noon, so it was only eight at my hotel. "Did something happen with that person you're visiting?" I have yet to tell her about my dad, since I didn't want her to worry. Lily was weird in that way. She seemed very insensitive at first, but in reality she'll get worried about the littlest things.

"Nope, just more papers to sign and pictures to take than usual," I replied casually, flicking a piece of lint off of the sheets. "What are you doing?"

"Watching TV and making sure Scruff doesn't eat any chairs or tables." I chuckled a little and shook my head.

"You always think that Scruff is going to eat something bigger than him."

"Dude, have you _met_ your dog? He's a fucking beast." I couldn't help myself, and a small laugh escaped me. "Ah, there we go, finally got a laugh outta you. It's about time too, I was scared that you were going to stay as Mr. Grumpy Pants for the rest of the night, and that's no fun."

"I'm rolling my eyes, Lily." I heard a small giggle and a groan.

"There's someone at the door, I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"I'll be waiting." I could practically see her smile.

"Goodnight Robert," the way she said my name made my heart flutter, like my name was the most important thing in the world to her.

I hesitated for a second. "Goodnight Lily," I finally said, and hung up the phone, sighing a little as I rested back into bed. The phone rang again and I picked it up, groaning groggily at whoever was calling me.

"Hey Robert, don't forget about that meeting tomorrow," Uncle Peter said, and I sighed.

"Alright Uncle Pete," I muttered in an exhausted voice and he chuckled.

"See you in the morning Robert," he responded, then hung up before I could reply.

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, turning on my side and shutting my eyes, taking a deep breath before letting sleep take over.

**xxxxOxxxx**

_Brrrring! Brrrrring!_

I woke with a start, staring at my phone then at the clock. Midnight, lovely. I picked up the phone with a heavy sigh, pressing it to my ear.

"Yes?" I asked in an irritated voice, not at all in the mood for being polite.

"Robert! Jesus, I've been trying to get a hold of you for forever!" I would recognize the voice anywhere.

"Arthur? Is something wrong?" I asked, because Arthur doesn't seem like the type to call just to chat.

"It's Lily," he said, his voice sounding strained. I sat up straight, all my senses alert.

"What's wrong? Is she okay?"

"Erm…no." He was silent for a moment and I took a deep breath to calm myself.

"Well?"

"She's in the hospital," he finally said.

I felt my breathing hitch and there was a pause.

"She's been shot, Robert."


	7. Chapter 7

**Wow, the past two chapters have been ridiculously short. I'm sorry about that. It seems I can't produce a long chapter unless they're together…weird. Anyway, I'm rambling now so I should get on with the chapter! I decided to give all my faithful readers a treat, and you all get four chapters in a row! Yay!**

I tossed my clothes haphazardly into my suitcase, which would set anyone off because I'm probably the neatest person in my family. There was a knock, then a click, then Uncle Peter walked in.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked accusingly, and I barely shot him even a glance as I zipped up my suitcase and went for my jacket. "Robert, answer me!"

"I'm going to see Lily," I said with a tone of finality, talking like the business owner Uncle Peter had been training me to be.

"That girl that's staying with you?" he asked incredulously, and threw down a magazine on the bed. "'Heir of Fischer Morrow with new girlfriend?'" I gave him a look and glanced down at the picture. It was the one from when we were in the park and I had my arm around her waist, Scruff frozen in a vicious bark.

"I can read, Uncle Pete."

"This _girl_ is going to ruin your reputation Robert!" I stopped moving and looked at him.

"This _girl_," I said, mocking his tone of voice, "was shot last night! She is in the hospital and she needs me!"

"No," he said firmly and I stared at him in shock. "You have too much to do here, Robert. You're staying." I felt my face twist into a scowl.

"You're not my father, so I'm going." I snatched up my suitcase and slipped my arm through the jacket, walking out the door with Uncle Peter hot on my tail telling me all the reasons I shouldn't leave. I stood in the elevator with him listing all the reasons why I should kick Lily out and forget about her, and finally we made it out onto the landing pad, where Frank was already waiting with the jet.

"She's just a girl, Robert!" he finally shouted from his spot by the stairs, and I turned around with a deep frown on my face.

"No, she's Lily," I said simply, then turned on my heel and walked onto the jet, poking my head into the cockpit.

"I want to meet her," a voice said before I could even open my mouth, and I turned to see Uncle Peter sitting down on the couch. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "What? She's obviously important to you, so I want to meet her." I pursed my lips, about to say that she's not important to me, when I realized that she is important to me. She's very important to me, in fact. I sighed and looked back at Frank.

"Get to Paris as fast as you can."

**xxxxOxxxx**

I stood awkwardly next to Uncle Peter in the elevator of the hospital, glancing down at my watch for about the fiftieth time. The man next to me shifted uncomfortably and threw me a sideways glance before clearing his throat.

"So, what's this Lily girl like?" I could tell he was trying to sound interested, but there was that hint of irritation in his voice that I knew all too well.

"You'll see," was all I said, smirking a little at the way he tensed. Uncle Peter hated answers that were blunt and straightforward. "Oh, don't get offended if she seems a little insensitive at first. It's just because she doesn't know you." He nodded a little as the elevator dinged on our floor. We walked out and I started in the direction of the room I had been told Lily was in.

"Is she nice?"

"Once you get to know her." He grunted a little and I could hear a familiar voice shouting down the hall. A smile appeared and I walked a little faster, hearing Uncle Peter practically jogging to keep up. I stopped in front of her doorway and saw her sitting upright in bed with a bandage around her upper arm. She was fully dressed, which was odd. She looked good, if not a little tired.

"For the last _fr-eaking_ time, I feel perfectly fine. I'm telling you, I can go home."

"And I'm telling _you_ Liliana," one of the nurses shot back, "you need to rest and let your wound heal! You were mere centimeters away from losing all feeling in that arm!"

"I need to feed Scruff! He might eat the neighbor if I don't!" There was a chuckle and I saw Eames sitting with Arthur on one of the chairs, clearly enjoying the argument. Lily's stormy gray eyes locked on me and she froze, a wide grin spreading across her face. "Robert!" She hopped off of the bed (despite the nurse's protests) and ran up to me, wrapping her arms around me. I sighed a little with relief, glad that she was okay.

"Hey Lily," I said, burying my face in her shoulder. She smelled like vanilla, just like always. She pulled back and scowled, slapping my shoulder with her good arm.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she questioned. "You should be in Sydney."

"Arthur called me," Arthur face palmed as Lily shot him a death glare, "and told me you were shot. I was worried."

"Well I'm fine, the stupid nurse just won't let me leave." The aforementioned nurse didn't bother hiding the scowl.

"You've only been here a day and you're already upsetting the nurses," Eames scolded. "Shame on you." Lily responded by giving him a rather rude hand gesture, which the Brit returned eagerly. All that he received in return was a smack from his boyfriend.

"When can I go home?" Lily asked, turning on her bare heel to look at the nurse. The latter gave me an exhausted look and I smirked.

"In a few days, Liliana. You really need your rest," she replied, her voice nicer than before. Lily sighed and blew a piece of hair out of her face before stalking over to the bed and sitting down, pulling the blanket up to her stomach. "Good girl. I'll be back in a bit to check your bandage." I smirked and nodded at the nurse, sitting next to Lily on the bed. The blonde craned her head, waiting for a few seconds before grabbing me by the tie and pulling me down close.

"You gotta get me outta here. I swear there's something in the food! I'm going to go crazy!" I looked over to Eames, who grinned.

"She _really_ doesn't like hospitals." I nodded and looked back at Lily, who had a wild look in her eyes. I took hold of her face and looked her square in the eye.

"Lily, you are going to be fine, okay?" She nodded a little and returned my tie back to its original way. I smiled and hugged her a little. "I'm going to go make sure Scruff is okay, then I'm going to come straight back here." She nodded again.

"Sorry about the spaz attack." I smirked a little and shrugged.

"I've seen worse. I'll be back, okay?" She nodded for the third time and gave me a dazzling smile.

"I'll be waiting." I felt the corners of my mouth turn upward, and I turned on my heel, walking out of the hotel room.

"You didn't even come in," I said irritably to Uncle Peter, heading back towards the elevator. "I thought you wanted to meet her." He shrugged.

"I didn't want to interrupt," he said stiffly and I rolled my eyes, leaning against the wall of the elevator as it slowly started down towards the first floor. "She seems nice." I nodded and made a small sound in the back of my throat, staring at the numbers that slowly dwindled down to one.

"I advise that you go back to Sydney and take care of everything. Like I said before, I'm staying." I held up a hand as he opened his mouth and gave him a stern look. "That's final, Uncle Peter." He let out a breath through his nose and we exited the elevator.

"I know I said she was nice," Uncle Peter said softly as we walked out into the parking lot. "But I can tell she is nothing but trouble. You better watch out around her, Robert." I raised an eyebrow and nodded a little.

"Yeah, sure. Okay." Uncle Peter turned on his heel and walked in the opposite direction, making me sigh and shake my head.

Uncles.


	8. Chapter 8

"Ah! It's good to be home!" I yelled, stepping into the apartment. Robert rolled his eyes and dropped his suitcase by the door, shedding his jacket. Scruff came bounding out of one of the rooms, pretty much barreling right into me. "I missed you too, buddy!" I walked over to the couch and practically dropped, draping my good arm over my eyes. My legs were picked up then placed on a lap, Robert's lap no doubt.

"How does your arm feel?"

"Like it's been shot." I heard a chuckle and a click as the TV was turned on. "Sorry you had to come back early." There was rustling and my good arm was tugged on until I allowed Robert to pull me closer to him. I rested my head on his chest as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"Don't worry about it Lily, I wanted to come back early anyway. All you had done was given me a reason." I smiled a little.

"How was Sydney, anyway?"

"Boring, too many papers to sign and way too many paparazzi."

"That's sucks, at least you had me." He smirked.

"At least I had you." I smiled again and watched the TV as he flicked through channels. I glanced over at him and rolled my eyes, sitting up.

"You are taking way too long," I said, reaching for the remote.

"Oh no you don't," he said, holding it away from me.

"Robert!"

"My apartment, my remote."

"Don't be mean to the injured girl." I pouted a little and reached for the remote again, but he held it farther away. "Seriously, Robert. Give me the remote."

"Nope, don't think so." I furrowed my eyebrows and reached farther for it, but it was just out of my grasp.

"C'mon, give me the remote!" He stood and held it away from me.

"In your dreams!" I narrowed my eyes and, in one swift movement, jumped off the couch and tackled him to the carpet. Scruff barked a little as we rolled on the floor, with me almost getting the remote but Robert keeping it just out of my reach. Finally I planted my knees on either side of his body and leaned forward to grab it, getting to his wrist when he cleared his throat. I looked down and my heart pretty much stopped. Our faces weren't even inches apart, barely even centimeters, and I could feel his breath on my nose. My hair, sort of tucked behind my ears, was brushing lightly against his cheeks, which were turning a light shade of pink. We had just seemed to stop breathing altogether, and I froze as Robert slowly started to close the distance between my lips and his. They brushed ever so lightly when Scruff barked, startling us both. I rolled off of him and he sat up, glancing over at me.

"Um…" I trailed, glancing down at my hands.

"I need some air," he said suddenly, standing and walking out. I flinched as the door shut and fell backwards, staring at the ceiling. Scruff licked my cheek a little and I looked over at him.

"Why Scruff? Hm? Why'd you have to do that?" He whimpered and cocked his head to the side, making me sigh and sit back up. Great. I looked over at the remote and scowled at it. "Technically, this is your fault." It did nothing, thank God, and I stood, suddenly in the mood for a nap. I walked into the room I was staying in, collapsing on the bed and burying myself under the covers. My eyes closed and I surrendered to unconsciousness.

**xxxxOxxxx**

I ran a hand through my hair, walking briskly down the sidewalk. The cool air helped clear my head, thank goodness, and I was able to process everything that had just happened.

Lily and I kissed.

Well, it was light, but still. It was a kiss, it counted. What mattered was if I liked it or not. Did I? No, I couldn't. She was Lily, my roommate, the person I'm supposed to be protecting, and arguably my best friend. It's already almost been ruined once; there's no way I'm letting that happen again.

So, no. I didn't like that "kiss" at all, and I was going to tell Lily that as soon as I get back to the apartment. I felt a flutter in my stomach at the thought of her name and scolded myself mentally. I can't be feeling that way about her.

That would be…disastrous, most likely.

"Would you like some coffee?" I looked up at the vendor on the sidewalk giving me a warm smile. I felt the corners of my mouth quirk and I nodded.

"Yeah, I could definitely use some coffee. Just straight black, please."

"Rough day?" he asked with a smirk, handing it to me.

"You have no idea," I replied. "Had to check my roommate out of the hospital after she got shot in the arm. Ever since she entered my life, it's been nonstop crazy." I took a sip and looked at it in surprise. "This is really good, what's the brand?" A wicked smile crossed his face.

"Colbo's own special mix." My eyes widened and I dropped the cup, taking off down the sidewalk. I yelled hurried apologies over my shoulder as I shoved past people in order to get away. Suddenly my body felt heavy, like I was slowly being filled with lead. I sidestepped into an alley and leaned back against the wall, placing a hand on my forehead.

"What the hell?" I muttered, blinking a few times as my vision went blurry. "What's going on?" I slumped back against the wall, slowly sliding down onto the ground. It felt as if gravity was personally trying to drag me to the center of the earth. Everything was heavy and hard to move, even my eyelids.

The coffee vendor's face filled my vision, a devilish smirk on his face.

"Just wait until Mr. Colbo sees what I caught." I was hoisted over a shoulder.

"No, wait," I said, and even my voice sounded heavy. "Please stop." I was thrown into a vehicle and the door shut as we sped off. I remember them saying Lily's name before the drug took over and I fell fast asleep.

**xxxxOxxxx**

I jerked awake, glancing around the room. Sweat covered the back of my neck and my chest, so I kicked off the comforter and shook myself awake, sitting up in bed. It was dark, probably eight or so, and Scruff was sleeping soundly on the rug next to my bed. I yawned and stood, stretching a little. The massive dog woke and barked groggily, following me into the living room. "Robert?" I called out, looking around.

Nothing.

My eyebrows scrunched together in confusion and I walked down the hall, checking his room. It was empty, as was the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room. The balconies were empty as well. I felt myself start to panic, my hands fumbling as they grabbed my phone from the counter and dialed Arthur's number.

"Hello?" a tired voice asked.

"Hey Arthur, it's me."

"Lily, what's up?" he asked, fully awake now.

"Have you seen Robert between six and now? He left and hasn't come back."

"Sorry, L, I haven't seen him. Maybe he went to visit a friend."

I scrunched up my face, but nodded. Remembering that this was a phone call, I said, "Yeah, I guess."

"If he isn't back in the morning, then call us. We'll get Cobb and Nash and Daniel and head over to your place."

"Okay, I'm just worried." I heard a chuckle.

"Don't be. If anything, he's on his way home right now." I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, feeling the part change as it fell back around my face. "Lily, go back to bed and don't worry. Call me in the morning."

"…Alright, fine."

"Goodnight." I scowled a little.

"Night, Arthur." I hung up the phone and set it on the table, walking over to the couch and laying down on it, pulling one of the pillows close to my chest. I leaned back and let my eyes close, letting my body surrender to sleep.


End file.
